Ship Reviews

ORIGIN Jumpworks GmbH

Origin’s notoriety comes from merging class and sophistication. They are the unchallenged leaders is providing luxury. Their designs are sleek with sophisticated lines. Their customers among the cultivated elite. When you purchase an Origin ship, you’re not just buying a vessel, you’re indulging a lifestyle.

While Origin was founded in Cologne, Germany, the headquarters was moved to New Austin on Terra in 2913. New Austin is now considered “ORIGIN town”, as they are a key employer in the region. In the Star Citizen universe, Origin is best known for its moderately priced 300 series of ships and the ostentatious 890 Jump luxury yacht.

600i Ship Series

Directly from CIG…

Let the voyage begin with the 2947 600i from Origin Jumpworks. This multi-role luxury vessel from Origin Jumpworks features an exquisitely detailed hull design that balances performance and versatility in a sleek and timeless form. The 600i is designed with a cutting-edge modular technology, allowing you to customize your ship for your needs.

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The 600i concept sale was released with the flourish you’d expect for ships in this price range. A slick brochure which is still available online and a stunning in-lore ship commercial were included as marketing promotion materials. The 600i is intended to provide owners with an alternative to the Constellation Aquila for exploration and the Constellation Phoenix as a luxe party boat.

Highlights

The 600i comes in two variants – Touring and Explorer.

In its final state, an additional module that will allow you to swap between the Touring and Explorer variants.

Features two remote turrets which can be automated using an AI module.

Supports from 2 to 5 crew members.

Although intended as a multi-crew ship, for the size, it’s one of the most solo-friendly ships to date.

Touring module lets your guests relax in ease, with stunning furniture from some of the Empire’s top designers. The bridge has 3 seats for the pilot and crew members.

Explorer variant bridge has 3 seats for pilot and crew, in addition to two manned scanning stations, a deployable ramp for an exploratory ground vehicle (Origin-created Rover) and additional storage for artifacts you may discover.

Cargo capacity: Touring 16 SCU and Explorer 40 SCU.

My Impressions

The first iteration of the 600i ships arrived in Alpha 3.2, June 2018. I own the 600i Explorer variant. My original intention was to have a luxury version for exploration and RP-themed romps across the galaxy for groups smaller than the 890 Jump. However, as has been the case with many of the concept ships, they increase in size once concept meets the demands of physical reality. As such, it’s no longer the size I was hoping to acquire. We’ll have to see if it lives up to the claim that it’s very solo friendly in which case playing as a duo should still work well.

Every corner of the interior drips luxury.

Has the best cockpit and all ‘round ship views to date.

Best Captains Quarters by a mile… Until the 890 Jump arrives.

Handles well and floats like a cloud.

It’s a slow burn to top speed, so be careful and maintain situational awareness.

Landing gear doesn’t seem to fit the rest of the ship.

Some of the spaces are empty but I think that’s great IF we’ll be able to decorate our ships with flair items.

I’m decidedly happy with the 600i Explorer. However, this is all without being able to compare it to the Carrack. For me at least, I don’t care if the Connie Aquila beats the 600i in a size and feature comparison, I don’t like the Connie. Therefore comparisons between those two ships are moot.

My decision to keep the 600i Explorer will rest with how it compares to the Carrack. If the size and features are close, it won’t make sense to own both ships. I’ve melted a few very large ships to pick up the medium-sized profession ships coming into the game. This is intentional which leaves me a bit sad when medium ships become large during the implementation process. Here’s hoping there’s enough distinction between them.

The Little Turtle That Could

Developed near the end of the 28th century, The Anvil Aerospace U4A-3 Terrapin Class ship is built for pure overwatch, scanning and exploration tasks. It’s the first ship to be built under direct Naval contract for the empire. Refocusing the military on a more defensive effort to ‘protect and serve’.

The Terrapin is built with absolute protection in mind. With extensive shields and deep armored layers, it offers the maximum level of defense for its 2 person crew. Unfortunately, the heightened defense does come at the cost of fast maneuverability.

The Terrapin is a slow-moving ship with a pair of primary engines and 10 small thrusters. For exploration and slow-paced surveying that isn’t an issue, as the design sacrifices engine speed for longer flight duration.

During space battles, you would expect the Terrapin to endure most attacks easily, if it hasn’t already avoided them with its long-range sensors. If you find yourself backed into a corner with no choice but to fight back, the ship’s array of hard-hitting weapons should help you carve out an exit without too much collateral damage.

The Terrapin is famed for mounting daring search and rescue missions, saving soldiers under fire, or traveling into remote far-flung areas with hostile and extreme environmental conditions.

This is a ship designed to remain self-sufficient for extended periods of time in areas where you are unlikely to find regular supplies.

Upgrades

When equipped with a high-end long-range radar, the Terrapin is ideal for finding new worlds and exploring new sectors. Coupling this upgrade with its high-level defense makes the Terrapin perfect for navigating asteroid clusters with precision, analyzing their contents or rescuing stranded crews who were less prepared. Beyond advanced sensors, the Terrapin is not designed for modular upgrades. There are no additional frills, bells or whistles to add to this pure military hardened exploration and reconnaissance ship.

Storage

In terms of Cargo, crew members can drop salvage where they find space, but this ship does not have a dedicated hold, as such – cargo will not be safe from harm.

Personal Impressions

The Terrapin is one of my favorite ships even without having its intended mechanics implemented into the alpha as of June 2018. It’s a nice looking ship and has ample space for two players to participate in missions.

Even without a traditional cargo hold, you can do fetch and carry missions.

Right size and defensive attributes to do escort and transport/rescue missions generated by players which are sometimes a trap! This ships hardened exterior will help the situationally aware pilot escape unscathed.

Manufactured by MISC

Musashi Industrial and Starflight Concern (MISC) are well known for their genius designs and incredibly ergonomic factories. Their ships are precision built by huge production lines spanning dozens of worlds throughout the galaxy. The main output of their industrial empire comes from their heavy industrial division, which creates a wide range of modular bulk transport spacecraft.

MISC is responsible for the majority of human corporate shipping, and have made impressive, albeit unexpected, gains amongst the Xi’an too. This is mainly due to their durable hulls and generous storage capacities, something that appeals to any miner, regardless of species. So far it seems as though Humans and Xi’an alike can benefit from MISC’s exclusive Xi’an partnership.

This is an unusual agreement that creates a rare opportunity for Xi’An technology to be incorporated into ships like The Prospector, a vessel that blends the technology of two rival people, to the benefit of all those who wish to spend their time mining for precious materials. For more information on MISC, please visit here.

Star Citizen’s First Mining Ship

Thanks to the Xi’an, the Prospector comes with improved VTOL Thrusters that enable it to maintain a sturdy position whilst navigating through dense clusters. It’ll also keep the ship still during precise mining tasks as you’re trying to snag that last chunk of precious metal from within a meteor.

As the name suggests, the Prospector isn’t just a mining vessel, it’s also built for Prospecting the galaxy for precious minerals. Underneath the ship, an upgraded scanner provides a huge search area for hunting out resources, without having to move around. This is useful as although perfect for mining and prospecting, these ships are not built for speed and every movement will feel like a slog. The default retractable mining laser was modified to enable more efficient extractions. The Prospector is capable of reaching ore in hard to reach places that lesser ships would have to leave behind.

Technical Overview

Like all smaller mining ships, The Prospector is fitted with only the bare necessities needed to maximize potential mining. You get one seat for a single pilot but no room for crew members. However, other amenities have been provided such as a sleeping bunk, restroom, and space for hand-carried cargo containers. Whilst it will be lonely out in space, you’ll be protected by a top quality hull design, and can while away your time, loading your storage containers with up to 32 SCU of space.

In terms of additional features, The prospector comes with an upgrade to a more advanced scanner. It also comes with a basic CF-117 Bulldog Laser Repeater to blast apart bigger rocks, or to defend you from would-be thieves. Of course, there are also options for upgrading your mining laser as you become wealthier from your mining hauls. The Prospector is a hardy ship, designed perfectly for mining your way through the galaxy. The only other resources you need are out there in the stars, waiting to be mined.

Show Transcript

Welcome to another episode of Casual Citizen. An on-going series about the upcoming first person MMO Star Citizen by Cloud Imperium Games. I’m your host Alysianah from the Mystic Worlds Gaming Blog.

Sorry about the two-week hiatus. Between work, a business trip and being offered an exciting opportunity to narrate a small audiobook, I’ve been rather overloaded. I was at least spared the agony of watching the pot boil for 2.4 hitting the Live Server. Here’s hoping it’s not too far off.

This week’s episode will discuss another ship that’s near and dear to my heart, the Drake Herald. It’s one of only three small career ships in my line-up. The fact that I can own platform ships, ships for medium sized groups AND engage in solo or duo activities, is a huge part of what excites me about Star Citizen. I like the flexibility to control my playstyle and/or dependency on other players to fit my mood or what I feel like accomplishing at any given time. In looking at the Herald, we’ll touch on Drake as a company, the Magnus System where they’re headquartered and Electronic Warfare, as it relates to the Herald.

BEGIN TRANSMISSION

Most players would likely agree, that the Herald isn’t the prettiest or sleekest ship in the ‘verse. Some consider it downright ugly. For me, it falls into the so quirky that it’s cute category. I find it attractive in a crooked smile kinda way. And although I preferred the original asymmetrical design, I’m not bothered by the change in direction. Those were concept images. This is alpha. Shit happens…Yadda. Before delving into the Herald, let’s take our first look at its manufacturer, Drake Interplanetary.

For many citizens, the name Drake Interplanetary conjures up images of ships whose silhouettes don’t look aerodynamically balanced. And the ne’er-do-wells and criminals flying them. Pirates. Drake hasn’t helped change this perception by naming its ships things like Cutlass and Buccaneer. And their the cheesy billboards featuring an overly endowed woman, dripping sex appeal all over the newest starfighter they’re showcasing, doesn’t help much either. When you’re not seeing Drake’s in-your-face adverts, it’s yet another newsvid about investigations into their criminal ties.

Drake’s keystone design is the Drake Interplanetary AS-1 Cutlass. Incredibly inexpensive, Drake Cutlasses are used across the galaxy for thousands of different roles. From search and rescue ambulances to mining prospector conversions, to short hop food transports. The modular nature of the Cutlass means it can be anything to anyone. Including those skirting the law.

Beyond its modularity, the Cutlass’ claim to fame is that it’s built from common parts. This makes it an affordable ship to replace for those who are living a lifestyle that no longer offers the benefit of purchasable insurance. Drake Interplanetary incorporated soon after the success of the Cutlass. Lead designer Jan Dredge became CEO, with a seven-member board, consisting largely of aerospace engineers who had worked on the project.

Drake is not the surname of anyone involved in the project; it was selected as an acceptable “smooth-sounding” name, chosen specifically in the hopes that it would make their spacecraft more appealing. This was the first of a series of money-over-all decisions that would quickly come to define the company.

Another factor that swaying the UEE’s belief that Drake is in some fashion associated with criminal activity, was their decision to locate their corporate headquarters and key factories on Borea in the Magnus system. At the time, Magnus was a desolate and lawless system, peppered with ghost towns and people living on the fringe of the space frontier. Locating on Borea, was yet another seed planted in the garden of their outlaw image. Regardless of the UEE’s assumptions or those of more polite society, within five years Drake was the fifth largest spacecraft manufacturing concern.

However, with the Galaxy in a relative level of peace, or as close to peace as it had ever been – Vanduul raids at the time were disorganized and the UEE military was in the middle of several years stand down. Who was buying thousands upon thousands of Cutlasses? The answer, of course – pirate organizations. The affordability of Drake ships created readily replaceable spacecraft that fit a pirate’s budget, and thanks to its larger-than-average cargo hold, they could also transport pirate booty.

It eventually became clear, though not publically acknowledged, that Drake had made a deal with the devil … but the money was too good to turn back. It’s rumored that in looking toward future, CEO Dredge is authoring a plan to streamline their spacecraft lineup and clean up the company’s image. A daunting task for the modular, boxy Cutlass, Caterpillar, and Buccaneer! And then there are those ship names. Only time will tell.

Life in Magnus

Directly from CIG

“Magnus: On the Edge of the Unknown!” or so reads the local government’s standard travel brochure. In truth, the phrase better describes Magnus a century ago; recent decades have seen increasing settlement and overall civilization in a system that considers itself the unofficial capital of Human frontier culture.

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First discovered in 2499, Magnus was a small, entirely undistinguished system: three planets orbiting a type K main sequence star. Dimmer than Earth’s own sun, Magnus did not have the pull to generate a system of outer planets or an extensive network of jump point tie-ins. Surveys have located no protoplanets, gas pockets or asteroid fields in the system’s environs; the area surrounding Magnus is the deepest, most desolate space imaginable. A single world, Magnus II, was identified as ideal for terraforming.

For a time, Borea – Magnus II, was a barren desert world — the effects of terraforming had not yet completely transformed the planet, and a ten-year period of extreme solar flares hampered its transition to a temperate world. This increased the decay of the UEE facilities and generally reduced overall interest in resettling Magnus. The result was an eerie, depopulated ghost world with declining structures full of refining and shipbuilding equipment considered too expensive to move elsewhere. During this period, the system’s population declined to less than 3,000, most of whom had no legal right to their encampments.

Let’s step back for a moment to consider living on a planet whose entire population is 3000 inhabitants. It has to feel something like living in a post-apocalyptic world. Or being on a backwater border planet in FireFly, where Jayne is worshiped as a deity. I think I’ll pass but Drake said sure, sounds good!

Drake’s decision to locate the headquarters and primary factories on Borea eventually helped to revitalized the landscape. Vast tracts of empty warehouses and rusting construction yards have been modernized and returned to life from building Cutlasses and Caterpillars. All’s well that ends well and good on Drake. But personally, I’d have started job hunting when the news came around about where the offices were going.

The Drake Interplanetary Herald

Overview

The original concept sale for the Herald was November 2014. The Herald is a small armored ship, designed to safely deliver information and you, from one place to the next. Its speed will rival racers but it won’t have the same nimble handling. It has a powerful central engine to support advanced data encryption. It also sports data protection systems, redundant power subsystems, EMP shielding and high capacity broadcast arrays for data transmission. In a nutshell, it’s spec’d to acquire rare data, encrypt/protect it, escape with said data and/or transmit it to your cohorts. As a fallback, it has a quick method to clear your drives of evidence, in case you get caught in the act or hijacked.

Attached to this dispatch are the final specifications and 3D holo-model of what you have worked all these long months to accomplish! Our Herald prototype will now enter the construction and testing phase, with a planned Q2 2945 rollout for the first sales units.

On the surface, the Herald represents a significant advance in interstellar data transfer… but as we Drake team members know, its long-term implications for data interception, stream interruption, and even outright piracy are enormous. I’m proud of everything we’ve accomplished, and now I can’t wait to see this baby fly!

Becke Linns

Senior Spacecraft Designer

Drake Interplanetary

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In that final paragraph, we can see that Drake’s intention of cleaning up their act is only surface level. A little spit-n-shine for the ole public image. Clearly, they understand and acknowledge the potential ramifications of their designs!

Quick Chat about Electronic Warfare

In August of 2015, CIG published a design document discussing their plans for implementing Electronic Warfare, often abbreviated to EWAR. EWAR mechanics played such a heavy role in EVE Online combat, I’ve been very interested in learning more about how it would play out in Star Citizen. Oftentimes in EVE, you can lose a fight before you’ve undocked from a station, simply by not having your ship adequately configured for an encounter. Will EWAR in Star Citizen has the same far-reaching impacts? It will be quite some time before we can answer that question.

Let’s review the portion of the Star Citizen EWAR Design Document that speaks to capabilities we can expect to see incorporated into the Herald, as an interceptor of information.

Radar (Object-Detection) and Scanning

The Drake Herald is an information runner but includes a dedicated e-war suite, which includes the ability to scan. Scanning is the tracking or gathering of information based off of the three main signature outputs: Infrared, Electromagnetic, and Cross-section.

Every ship has a suite of default systems that give it basic operational functionality. Our radar systems use IR, EM, or radio waves to determine the range, angle, and velocity of objects. Standard operating mode for radar systems is omnidirectional. However, players with the right equipment can change the focus of their unit. Changing the focus increases the transmit power, but reduces the area in which targets can be located.

Scan and radar effectiveness are also impacted by the environment. For example, solar radiation from the nearby star could wreak havoc on your results. The goal is to introduce variance in performance between radar components and require choices from the player, as to what type of information they value above others, as well as reduce the time of a scan and/or the risk of being detected.

Players will be able to scan their surroundings either passively or actively.

Passive – The player is letting the information come to them versus actively searching for the information (in essence listening). This emits a much smaller signature.

Active – The player’s ship is actively looking for information about their ship. This emits a much higher signature.

In passive scanning, the range and detection type are based on the radar component that your ship has installed. Any potentially targetable object within your ship’s radar zone will show up as different contact states, discussed in the detailed design doc. This feature will emit a signature when turned on. It will be up to the player to choose if they want scans to run constantly or enabled during certain times. Multi-crew ships can assign this as a full-time task to a radar officer; allowing them to balance scanning systems with the ship’s signature output.

By switching to active scanning, you can acquire more specific information on a target such as their type of armor, shields, weapons, etc. You can even attempt to reveal undetectable targets. This can be done with the focus set to either omni or fixed direction, with fixed direction requiring more skill to use but potentially producing a more detailed result. Active scanning will also increase a ship’s signature since it requires additional power.

To stay safe from incoming hacking and electronic warfare attacks, pilots will need to outfit their ships and flight suits with appropriate countermeasures. Electronic defenses require less specialized equipment than their offensive counterparts, and while this does favor defenders to an extent, they can still be met with multiple attacks and overwhelmed.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for Electronic Warfare. Please read the full design document for more details. Including the defensive mechanics, players will have at their disposal to minimize and/or negate, the offensive effectiveness of EWAR attacks.

I liked the idea of the Herald before we had the EWAR design document. My primary decision for purchasing one was to have another two station ship. Although I’ll probably do a lot of the work solo, since I enjoy that too, I’m hoping to introduce friends to Star Citizen who don’t traditionally play MMOs but are interested in space. And it’s a non-combat focused activity I can do with younger kids in the family.

For now, it remains to be seen how heavy of a role EWAR will play in day-to-day combat. Most encounters happen too quickly at the moment when we’re mostly flying small fighters. In EVE, EWAR plays a large factor even in those types of encounters. Or determines the outcome before the first shot was fired. In that scenario, fitting EWAR modules is a foregone conclusion – a necessity of survival. I could live without that level of EWAR in Star Citizen combat and have it more focused on being used in career pursuits. But I’m okay dealing with however the chips fall on it.

SHOW NOTES

I hope you’ve enjoyed this look into the Herald and Drake Interplanetary. Please check out the show notes on my blog for links to mentioned content such as the Herald ship page, Drake’s write up on RSI and the Magnus Galactic Guide.

If you found this episode useful and entertaining, please consider subscribing to my channel and giving the show a thumbs up. It would be greatly appreciated and doing so helps the show’s visibility, making it easier for others to find their way here.

Be kind and fly safe. This is Alysianah signing off until next time.

END TRANSMISSION

Tying it all together

Understanding that the Herald was designed to intercept data, a fancy way of saying steal, we can imagine that part of gameplay. I imagine there will be an opportunity to hijack information from ship systems, structures with data storage capabilities and possibly mobi devices.If we also consider that it has a dedicated EWAR suite, that introduces offensive combat mechanics. Acting as a scout, the herald can gather information about primary targets and relay that data back to the fleet. It may be possible for it to disable certain subsystems, which inches us closer to aspects of how EWAR plays out in EVE. Exciting times and sounds like very interesting gameplay mechanics for a small two station ship.

Hello Star Citizen ‘Verse, I’m back and welcome to another episode of Casual Citizen. An ongoing series about the upcoming first person MMO, Star Citizen, by Cloud Imperium Games. I’m your host Alysianah from ALYSIANAHSWORLD.COM. It’s been almost 3 months since my last show. I needed to take time off for real life changes. All good things and exciting things, but extremely time-consuming. But I’m back and excited to dive into what’s happening in the world of Star Citizen.

This week it’s a ship show, the topic I enjoy most next to lore. We’re taking a look at the Origin 890 Jump, most recent ship and final ship added to my fleet. Covering this ship has been on my list of things to do for a while so let’s get at it.

If it is possible for a company to merge class and sophistication with the sheer risk of spaceflight and the cold-blooded nature of interstellar dogfighting, ORIGIN Jumpworks comes the closest. The company’s extensive array of high-end spacecraft is known for their sleek and sophisticated lines. Similarly, they have cultivated an exclusive customer base from the rich and the powerful. As ORIGIN’s perfectly-manicured salesmen eagerly point out, selecting an ORIGIN design doesn’t just mean buying a ship … it means choosing a lifestyle.

ORIGIN was incorporated during the so-called Glowing Age, the financial boom of the mid-28th century that followed the antimatter rush. For their first decade, the company produced high quality fusion engines used by the UEE military and mounted on the ostentatious Roberts Space Industries and Aegis Dynamics star yachts available to the public at the time. With the need for personal spacecraft growing exponentially, ORIGIN moved to compete with the companies they initially supplied.

Within ten years, the company was producing a top-five selling midscale composite transport and within fifty their well-paying customer base was neck and neck with RSI for gross profits in the manufactured spacecraft field. ORIGIN premiered their initial 200 and 300 lines of personal ships in 2899 and has held a strong second in that market ever since.

Founded on the banks of the Rhine in Cologne, Germany, ORIGIN had strong ties to Earth for the first two centuries of their existence, originally going so far as to insist that every component for their elite 600 line be manufactured in-Sol. In recent years, these ties have been severed completely. Declaring Terra the new cultural capital of the UEE, President Jennifer Friskers made the then-unpopular decision to relocate to Terra. In a largely unexpected executive order, she moved corporate headquarters and the primary design team to the settlement of New Austin in 2913.

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An abbreviated profile of the Terra system, home to Origin Jumpworks

Terra is the only system in the Empire that is named after the capital planet, rather than the star at its center, Terra Nova. Since its discovery, Terra has grown consistently in popularity and influence.

During the Messer era, Terra was one of the few systems that tried to maintain a progressive stance against the despotic reign. And it was this perseverance in the face of adversity, that elevated the system’s reputation and influence.

Terra is often compared to Earth, as a seat of power and trendsetter. Many would like nothing more than to see Terra usurp Earth’s rung on the political ladder.

Also of note, Terra is one of only 9 stars systems that contain multiple asteroid belts. Its massive stone ruins on Terra III, New Austin’s Origin Jumpworks headquarters, and the sprawling Terra Prima bayside mega city are huge tourist attractions. And Terra possesses Jump Point tunnels to Hadrian, Stanton, Tayac, Goss, Magnus, Pyro, and Taranis, making it rather well connected you might say. On to the ship itself, the Origin 890 Jump.

Directly From CIG

UNLIMITED HORIZONS AWAIT…

The best sunset is the one you haven’t seen yet. The best noodles are worth traveling light years for. The secret to happiness is whispered inside every jump point. Once you know this about life amongst the stars, you’ll never settle for less than the best means to enjoy it. Fortunately, thanks to the 890 Jump, you’ll never have to …

With an elegant, sleek exterior that belies its spacious interior, the 890 Jump is a true engineering marvel; crafted to impress from every angle by combining a unique, innovative design with the finest materials and the most advanced technology. The result is a vessel that is in a class all of its own, a masterpiece worthy of the name ORIGIN.

This pre-order brochure will give you a glimpse of not only the most luxurious liner ever built, but of the universe it will allow you to explore.

Reserve your 890 Jump today and secure your exclusive chance to experience the galaxy in a remarkable new way.

Jennifer Friskers, President and CEO – ORIGIN Jumpworks

End Quote

The 890J first caught my attention when I was looking for a ship as a backdrop for a roleplaying scenario. A ship that, similar to why I pledged for the Starliner Genesis, could be used as a family and friends business in the persistent universe, as well as serve as a remote base of operations. Travel, explore and see the universe in style, while providing revenue are the dream. And since I’m a firm believer that if you’re going to dream, it might as well be big, my heart landed on the 890J.

From CIG…

COME ABOARD

More room to entertain. More space for socializing. More areas for comfortable living. The 890 Jump is proof that sometimes more is definitely the right amount. This is the ideal vessel for both parties and privacy. Take your pick of gathering spaces — enjoy magnificent views from the Captain’s Bridge or stretch out in the salon. Or take time out — retreat to your spacious stateroom or find a cozy nook to view the stars in quiet solitude. Maybe you want to stretch your legs — with an accessible landing bay capable of housing a small ship or shuttle, you don’t have to keep the party aboard the 890 Jump.

End Quote

Unfortunately, the 890J isn’t regularly available for pledging. In fact, I had to wait almost a full year after deciding I wanted one, until an opportunity to pledge for it presented itself. By then I’d hit my self-appointed ceiling on ship pledges and had to make very tough choices. What was I willing to give up in my existing fleet in order to have the 890 J?

First into the melting pot were duplicate ships originally included in my fleet as loaners for friends. We’d just have to earn those in the game. Next, I melted ships that had similar roles taking me down to a single combat ship, single small cargo ship, etc. Last I relinquished ships related to careers I wanted to test and write about but not a participant in long term. I’d have to beg, borrow or steal those to cover them. All in all, seven ships were melted in hopes of snagging the 890J.

From CIG…

CAPTAIN’S BRIDGE

One of the best parts of being the captain is that you’re always privy to the best views. Bask in the ever-changing cosmic vista with the wrap-around bridge rotunda, offering unparalleled visibility for a vantage point that’s simply unmatched.

Built for maximum comfort, the bridge offers three exquisitely crafted operator seats from Atlas, featuring ORIGIN’s award-winning suspension technology that cradles you for the smoothest flight of your life. Whether you’re at the helm or just enjoying the ride, the 890 Jump proves that the journey is just as important as the destination.

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The morning of the November 2016 Anniversary Sale, I was anxious and primed to refresh my browser, waiting for the sale to go live. I’d melted my ships in advance of the sale, not even knowing if the 890J would even be made available for pledging. My thinking was to ensure that if it was, I was in a position to instantly snap one up. It went on sale, I got one and all was right in my Star Citizen world.

From CIG…

TAKE A BREAK

A special place to retreat from the world, each VIP stateroom beckons with unparalleled comfort. The island berth features an oversize imperial gelcore mattress along with two berth end tables. Constructed from a specially selected stock of galung wood, known for its natural luster, harmony radiates from this comfortable haven. Sweet dreams and soothing surroundings await all who tarry here. The 890 J comes with a personal away ship, the 85X Run-About.

Elegantly styled and meticulously constructed, the 85X is a versatile and comprehensive away-vessel that features precision control in and out of the atmosphere. Utilizing much of the same thruster technology as the 300 series, it has the power of a racer with the reliability of a touring ship. Whether descending down to the planet surface or taking in the sights of your system, this runabout continues Origin’s proud tradition of turning heads.

End Quote

As I mentioned earlier, I have plans to use the 890J as a luxury touring enterprise that I can run with family and friends who will be playing. Part of our amenities will be the opportunity to participate in RP events such as onboard Murder Mystery parties, something we’ve hosted on several occasions in real life.

HIGHLIGHTS PULLED FROM THE 890 JUMP Q&A

Classified as Luxury Touring, originally planned to be 123 meters in length with 5 crew stations. However, as we’ve seen other ships grow in size during the actual development process, I won’t be surprised if the 890 gets bigger along the way.

The ship’s hangar is large enough to fit two 85X size ships.

The empty space behind the cargo loader is the cargo hold, planned for 360 units of cargo space which is more cargo space than the Constellation variants but less than the stock Caterpillar. However, additional cargo capacity can be obtained by storing items on the loader itself

In general, the 890 should have more cargo space than the Constellation Taurus, but less than a similarly sized cargo ship.

The central elevator does actually reach to the top floor

Each guestroom is equipped with a private bathroom

The kitchen is for the whole ship, but there’s a separate dining area for passengers.

The cargo hold is not shielded as part of the stock loadout but that featured can be added by owners via an upgrade

If you’re looking for 890 Jump eye candy to tide you over, Taurus from the RSI Forums and Discord, has done amazing work. You’ve seen some it sprinkled throughout the show. I’ll include a link to his official forum thread in the show notes.

That wraps up our quick review of the Origin 890 Jump. I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode. If you have, please considering subscribing to my channel and giving this episode a thumbs up. Also, consider using my referral code if you haven’t created an account on Robertsspaceindustries.com. Doing so will give you 5K in game credits when the game goes live and grants me some in-game goodies.

I have Star Citizen Alpha 3.0 on my mind. I’m so pumped to start seeing the non-combat professions integrated into the persistent universe. Casual Citizen episode 25 discusses the flight-ready cargo ships we’ll have at our disposal to test out the first implementation of cargo hauling. Check it out on YouTube or SoundCloud to be sure you’re ready to hit the ground running.

Originally, I was going to limit the conversation to the ships CIG has flagged as “cargo ship” on RobertsSpaceIndustries.com. However, two popular ships are missing if I did that – the Cutlass Black and Constellation Andromeda, which I’ve decided to include. Whereas I haven’t included the Mustang Alpha because it requires the optional cargo carrier which has yet to materialize in game.

REAL CARGO SIZES PLEASE STAND UP

Unfortunately, there are conflicts between the cargo capacity for the ships listed in the actual ship stats versus updated sizes that were published as part of the MISC Hull B Q&A. This is rather unfortunate, since the average player isn’t likely to see the updated cargo size information. With the exception of the Argo Cargo and the Starfarer Gemini, which weren’t on the updated list, I’m going to reference the sizes from the Hull B Q&A post, which I will link in the show notes.

For the Argo Cargo I pulled the value from the brochure. For the Gemini, I used the updated size for the refueling variant but applied the reduced capacity percentage witnessed on the their respective technical overview pages.

Directly from RSI Cargo Chart

Cubic meters? Freight Units? Standard Cargo Units?! We’ve gone through several iterations for measuring cargo, to the point that our own design team has confused the two on occasion. Today, we’re setting the record straight with a ‘master’ list. Dan Tracy has measured every ship currently ‘in-engine’ and made estimates for others (such as the Merchantman) which are not. As of today, this is the definitive list of cargo capacity and these numbers will be applied to the stats page. Please pay special intent to the comparative sizes rather than simply the number; these are the best indicator of where these ships are intended to fall on the spectrum, regardless of the units of measurement we use.

The inability to get most accurate or updated cargo information more easily, is a bit unfortunate for this particular class of ship. There’s updated information available it’s just not where people would be looking for it.

Now that understanding where and how I obtained the cargo sizes you’ll hear me reference, is out of the way, let’s begin. I’ll be discussing the ships in order of available cargo capacity – smallest to largest. To reiterate, these are FLIGHT READY cargo ships.

WHY CARGO HAULING?

Let’s begin by defining cargo hauling as I suspect there will be varying definitions. Establishing mine is important for data I’ll share in a bit and what’s available on Alysianahsworld.com.

I differentiate between trade and cargo hauling. For me, cargo hauling is picking up goods in one place and delivering them to another. You have no ownership of the items being transported. You don’t know or care what they cost to acquire. You’re not involved in selling them. You’re merely the bus driver.

Merchants and traders care about the cost to purchase goods versus the resale value. Traders and merchants earn revenue from selling of goods. Cargo haulers are paid to transport goods. I think cargo hauling will be a good active profession for players of a certain play style and an excellent passive profession for most everyone. I personally, only plan to do cargo hauling as a secondary, passive mode of generating income. If I’m going that way and have the space available on my ship, by all means I’ll deliver those goods for ya.

MONEY MAKES MMOS GO ‘ROUND.

The persistent universe side of Star Citizen will contain many of the common trapping of any MMO. Specifically, you’ll need a way to earn in-game currency to support yourself. In this case, support fueling, arming, repairing and possibly upgrading your ship. You may want to do the same for your character, such as obtain better armor and weapons. You’ll have insurance premiums to pay. You’ll have hangar fees to pay. Money. Money. Money. For most players, your existence in the Star Citizen universe will require you to earn a living in game.

For those who don’t want to focus on combat as a means of earning currency. Or who aren’t particularly interested in having PVE missions dictate their actions, cargo hauling is a viable incoming generating profession. You can obtain work via contracts that will be available on the Trade and Development Division job boards. You can accept cargo transport specific missions. You can shuttle cargo for other players. All of this while seeing the world. Cargo hauling is also one of the player professions that can more easily be done solo, if that’s your preference.

CARGO SHIPS AVAILABLE IN ALPHA 3.0

Alpha 3.0 is going to give us our first taste of cargo hauling. I suspect we’ll see cargo missions from NPCs. I anticipate being able to pick up work at the Trade and Development Division locations, such as Job Well in ArcCorp Area 18. The physical implementation in game is likely to contain placeholder activity for loading and unloading cargo. Similar to the placeholder implementation for ship repairs in we’re using for Cry-Astro. In other words, there’ll be some handwavium going on.

Bringing cargo hauling online will also innately bring with it opportunities for other player professions and play styles such as piracy and mercs. You need to keep these these things in mind if you’re going to pursue moving merchandise. Space and be a dangerous and unforgiving place. Common sense and situational awareness will be important. I’m crossing my fingers that ship security comes online with cargo otherwise, lots of unnecessary tomfoolery will take place on landing pads that will be 100% outside of a pilot’s ability to control.

If you want to take part in the early alpha testing of cargo hauling, let’s take a look at ships that are flight ready and have cargo space available.

ARGO CARGO

From CIG…

The ARGO Astronautics MPUV-1C (commonly ‘Argo Cargo’) is a dedicated merchant transfer ship, a ubiquitous intergalactic stevedore. Vast numbers of Argo Cargos are responsible for loading and unloading goods onto massive long-haul transports and miners that cannot otherwise land on planets or drydocks, such as the Hull D and the Orion. Some captains choose to own and operate their own Argo, while others pay privately owned ships operating as port services a rental fee for performing the unloading process.

I don’t see the Argo Cargo as a ship that makes sense for cargo hauling in Alpha 3.0. Lacking a quantum drive and only possessing 6 SCUs of space, it’s the least ideal option for participating in cargo hauling in 3.0. We don’t have any flyable ships that are too large to land in order to deliver cargo themselves. Unless you have no other option and simply want to try the mechanics, to me this one is a non-starter.

Avenger Titan

From CIG…

Lacking the Prisoner Cells of the Stalker or the EMP Generator of the Warlock, the Titan’s hold is free to carry cargo. Couple that available space with the Avenger’s tried and true combat abilities and you’ve got a light cargo hauler that’s more than capable of handling itself in a fight. *This is the standard Avenger chassis with the Titan Cargo Module pre-installed.*

Titan is the standard Stalker chassis with the prison cells swapped for cargo space. I like this as an option for people who want to do a small amount of cargo hauling and combat. The Avenger holds its own nicely in combat and was for a time, my preferred combat ship. I think it’s speed and maneuverability also make it less of a target piracy. Because it has non-cargo variants, it’s appearance in the skies also doesn’t scream, “I’m carrying cargo here!”. I am however very surprised at the Titan’s 12 SCUs of cargo space. There’s probably an update to that number not readily available. I can’t see how swapping out 3 prisoner cells nets so little space. However, all elements combined, I think it’s a reasonable choice for play-testing cargo hauling during alpha or as an interim short-lived first solution in the live game.

Aurora CL

From CIG…

Customized for mercantile and trading excursions, the Aurora Clipper is the perfect vessel for aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned traders alike. Swapping a smaller power plant and armor capabilities for an expanded cargo capacity, the Clipper ups the ante for personal merchant craft.

We’ll probably see many Auroras taking part in cargo hauling. We know from CIG that this is one of the more popular ship packages, hence more people have Auroras than any other ship. The CL variant in particular is very good in terms of ship cost versus cargo capacity, coming in at 23 SCUs. Auroras are also very durable for a starter ship making them good for cargo transport using an avoid combat at all costs strategy. You simply have to survive until you reach your drop off location.

Reliant Kore

From CIG…

With the Reliant Kore, MISC adds to its already impressive lineup of ships, a smaller introductory-class spacecraft. Utilizing advanced Xi’An designs, the Reliant features broad, sleek wings, omni-directional thrusters and a fully-articulated two-seat cockpit that supports horizontal and vertical flight modes. All of this combines with a larger carrying capacity than many ships in its class to make the Kore a natural choice for short-range hauling, or with the simple addition of a few optional components, this can-do ship can do anything you dream of.

I have mixed feelings about the Reliant Kore for cargo transport in its current implementation. Purely from an investment perspective, comparing the cost of the ship versus its cargo hauling space, it does well. It’s a $65 USD ship with 30 SCUs. However, we’ve yet to see the speed boost it’s supposed to have when in its vertical flight mode. It lacks versatility of being viable as a combat ship without swapping to the Tana configuration which isn’t doable yet. And it’s more suited to short-hop jobs because there’s no bed aboard the Reliants. Beds are a feature that will allow you to safely log out of the game in space, save that location and return to it the next time you log in versus spawning at the nearest space station. For Alpha game play, I’ve kept my Kore to test out cargo hauling. However, it will not be a permanent ship in my fleet. And I have access to a Cutlass Black, by way of having purchased a Cutlass Red.

Cutlass Black

From CIG…

Drake Interplanetary claims that the Cutlass Black is a low-cost, easy-to-maintain solution for local in-system militia units. The larger-than-average cargo hold, RIO seat and dedicated tractor mount are, the company literature insists, for facilitating search and rescue operations.

For passive cargo hauling, I think the Cutlass Black is a real contender for bang for your buck. It’s a versatile ship that supports multi-crew activities and has 33 SCUs for cargo hauling. Whether that 33 SCUs is filled up by your own legit cargo or what you’ve pilfered from others, that’s up to you. Surprisingly the Cutlass comes with a size 4 shield, the second largest among the flight ready ships. This makes it another ship that’s viable for solo cargo hauling with the intention of outrunning and out surviving anyone who gives chase. However, like the Reliant Kore there are no beds on-board so I wouldn’t pick the Cutlass Black if you have long term cargo hauling aspirations. That said, I expect to see many players using it to haul cargo in Alpha 3.0. And when you see one, you won’t know if it’s carrying cargo or coming to get yours, making it a nice is it cat or mouse deterrent.

Freelancer Mercantile

From CIG…

Freelancers are used as long haul merchant ships by major corporations, but they are just as frequently repurposed as dedicated exploration vessels by independent captains who want to operate on the fringes of the galaxy.

Here’s where I think we cross the line into ships that are better served as multi-crew even if cargo hauling. We’re getting to slower moving ships that are less maneuverable, leaving you open to being swarmed if you can’t get away. And knowing that the other features these ships were designed to take advantage of aren’t in the game yet, many will bet you’re carrying cargo. So if you are, be prepared to defend yourself.

The Freelancer variant that is flyable is designed for moving cargo. It has a nice bump in capacity from the Kore, coming in at 52 SCUs. It’s also a very defensible ship with a good pilot and someone in the turret. It has sleeping berths making it a good fit for longer duration shipping if that’s something you’re going to pursue in the live game. If you’re considering the Freelancer as a long term cargo option, you might want to take a look at the Freelancer MAX which has twice the cargo capacity.

Constellation Andromeda

From CIG…

The Constellation Andromeda, a multi-person freighter, is the most popular ship in RSI’s current production array. Constellations are beloved by smugglers and merchants alike because they are modular, high powered… and just downright iconic-looking. 134 cargo units. Taurus – transport variant has 243

The Constellation Andromeda makes the list because it has 134 SCUs of cargo space and is flyable. Strictly speaking this is the more militarized variant. The Taurus is the transport variant but isn’t flight ready. I doubt I’d attempt doing cargo hauling solo in a Connie. You will be a target and a ship of this size is better served having its turrets manned and bodies available to repel boarding attempts if it comes down to that. Even having escorts might be advisable once you start moving cargo in a ship of this size.

Unlike how the PU combat happens now, there will be more incentive to go after larger ships that may be carrying cargo, especially, if some of the cargo survives when the ship is destroyed. Now it’s a matter of who can I kill before they kill me, if I want to engage at all. For many players, there’s little to no incentive of picking a fight with the larger ships. All you get in return is a repair and rearming bill. Come 3.0, that same fight now nets you a chance at profits. Different ball game that requires a a higher level of situational awareness.

Starfarer

From CIG…

The Starfarer differs from traditional bulk freighters in one key way: it is a dedicated fuel platform. The Starfarer is designed not only to load, store and protect fuel stasis units, it is designed to take in spaceborne hydrogen and then refine it for use without landing. The Starfarer can be used to ferry traditional bulk cargo pods (see diagram) but in such cases the fuel refining equipment would be useless. This equipment is modular and can be swapped out for another mission package for dry operations!

The United Empire of Earth military uses an adapted ‘rough and tumble’ variant of the Starfarer for their front line operations. The G2M Gemini, more commonly the Starfarer Gemini or ‘Star G,’ trades some cargo capacity and maneuverability in exchange for reinforced armor, increased shielding, more powerful engines and stronger versions of the three manned turrets. The Gemini also includes an optional missile pod, which can be swapped for the fuel intake unit on the ship’s nose (see below for details.) Missile pods can be mounted to either Starfarer variant.

Now we’ve hit the largest ships in the alpha play-test by a considerable amount. Similarly, they have the largest cargo payloads. The Starfarer refueling variant, which is considered the transport variant haxe 4,044 SCUs. With the Gemini coming in at an estimated 3033 SCUs. Remember that the number I’m using for the gemini is based on the updated transport variant’s SCUs that were provided in the Hull B Q&A.

I think running cargo in either of these ships, assuming you can get one to spawn, will be very exciting for those involved. Massive shenanigans in coming of people trying to seize or destroy them for the cargo. I think most when carrying cargo will be properly manned and have escorts. This has the potential to broaden the combat fields seen in the PU to multiple locations – anywhere one of these is in transit. Versus what we see now which is mostly in and around Kareah or Grim Hex.

As long term cargo hauling vessels, I think there are better options unless transporting fuel or other liquid goods the Starfarer will be configurable for in the future. As a pure hauler, I’d be looking into the Hull series. But in the meantime, these will have the largest payload for many months. The first Hull series ship, the Hull C, isn’t due until Alpha 3.1 which I think is likely spring 2017.

ACCORDING TO THE LORE

Knowing where to look for cargo hauling work will be simple in Alpha 3.0. You’re picking it up in Stanton and delivering it to somewhere else in Stanton. You won’t have to do much research on your own to know where to go. You won’t need to really evaluate if the cost of fuel and crew is worth the trip. It won’t be that easy as more star systems come online and more players engage in the alpha. Things will be more competitive and some level of logistics planning and consideration will be required to remain profitable.

Helping with logistics planning is the primary goal of Alysianahsworld. It’s aim is to provide you with the information necessary to help you make more knowledgeable decisions when it comes to investing time, effort and money into player professions. It helps you identify where to look for work, tells you about that area and lets you refine the list of where to work based on other personal preferences such as:

How dangerous is that star system on average?

Are the other opportunities I can take advantage of while there that makes picking this location better for me than another?

Can I string together a multi-hop route to maximize my net profit?

It’s likely that most star systems will have some availability of cargo hauling opportunities via NPC specific missions and the Trade Development Division. However, showing up and hoping that the available jobs fit the capabilities of your ship might not be the most cost effective option.

The ARK Starmap and the Galactic Guides, both subject to change, reflect the world that’s being built and both contain information about player professions. Alysianahsworld.com ties these two assets together by mapping the lore from the guides to the physical univers of the ARK Starmap, into what I call Dossiers. Where each Dossier is tying together the locations and lore related to a specific profession.

For example, if you have a small cargo hauling ship and are just starting out, what are some of the best places for you to find steady work? Perhaps you’re on the other end of the scale. You’d rather do less frequent longer duration jobs. Where are you going to start looking for that kind of work? Looking through the Starmap and Galactic Guides you can find the answers for both of those scenarios if you want to spend hours upon hours pouring through it all. But you don’t have to.

Checking out my Cargo and Trade Dossier page will list all Star Systems where explicit lore information has been provided about job opportunities. This information will be updated regularly and continue to grow as I slowly make my way through all of the available CIG content, AND am able to include information from the actual systems themselves when they are introduced.

On the Trade and Cargo Dossier you can view locations that contain:

Explicit lore related to cargo hauling contracts

Mentions of job opportunities for specific types of cargo hauling – short hop vs. long duration

Review potential volume of work for cargo hauling

Review import and export activity in those same systems which can represent opportunistic trading such as picking up a rare item you can sell elsewhere for a profit.

Review Black Market and Piracy in those areas if you’re inclined to participate in those activities

Learn about the star systems where these opportunities exist and filter them based on your preferences of population, economy and danger thresholds or government alignments.

Simple. Straight forward. And a means to make more informed routing options when planning cargo runs. Check it out. I hope you find it useful.

That’s it for this episode of Casual Citizen. You can find links to all the ships discussed in the show notes. Also checkout Alysianahsworld.com to see the growing compendium of information to assist players with logistics planning. If you’ve enjoyed this episode please consider subscribing to my channel and giving the show a thumbs up.

Roberts Space Industries (RSI)

Founded in 2075, Roberts Space Industries have pioneered space travel since the early 2100s when they invented the Zeus, humanities first ship capable of short-distance flight. These first attempts were limited to only the super wealthy, but it wasn’t long before they found a way to deliver space travel to the masses with their range of Aurora and Constellation spaceships.

The RSI Constellation

The Constellation series comes in (4) flavors and is designed to cater to a broad range of needs. The original base model is a multi-person freighter, the bestselling ship in the RSI line up.

The Constellation is often favored by merchants and smugglers, due to its cargo capacity, high-power output, and modularity. Options such as:

Comes with snub nose fighter that is launched directly from the parent ship

Each Constellation model includes a manned turret, a sizable cargo area, and a flight deck. Recently four additional models were revealed which provide additional features.

The Andromeda – Gun Ship

The Andromeda base model holds a crew of 5 and comes with a P-52 Merlin in the hangar – a dedicated parasite fighter, designed for one crew member to hop in and join a dogfight with speed. This maneuverable little ship measures in at 12 meters in length making it ideal for racing, fast-paced combat and a bit of discretely localized reconnaissance. If destroyed in battle, the P-52 Merlin comes with a lifetime replacement insurance making it a reliable tool for any fleet concerned about risking resources.

The Andromeda can hold 134.4 Cargo Units, is 61.1 meters in length and holds a maximum of 6 power plants and shields, 4 engines, and 8 thrusters.

Aquila – Expedition

The Aquila is designed for exploration and comes with a redesigned cockpit allowing for extra visibility but only 4 crew members. This variant comes with the P-52 above, plus an Ursa Rover for planetside investigations.

Holding 4 passengers, the Ursa Rover allows teams to head out and explore, featuring two CF-117 Bulldog Laser Repeaters for protection, it also offers military-grade all-terrain capabilities making it perfect for scouting, mapping and discovering new features across the universe.

The Aquila can hold 134 cargo units, is 60.1 meters in length and holds a maximum of 6 power plants and shields, 4 engines and 8 maneuvering thrusters.

The Phoenix – Luxury Touring

The Phoenix is the luxury variant of the Constellation series, designed for 4 crew members. Featuring discrete cargo storage, an enhanced ‘Lynx’ Rover and a Kruger P-72 Archimedes fighter. This ship is designed for style, with a mini-bar, hot tub, meeting room and other high-end finishing touches. The cargo area features a hidden sensor-dampened area for fragile cargo.

For the major party animals, there is an advance Phoenix Emerald model that also includes a ‘Lucky’ paint finish and an upgraded ‘swank’ interior cabin intended for pure revelry.

The Taurus – Medium Freight

The heavy lifter of the Constellation family is the Taurus. A 4 crewmember, freight freight-focused that strips out the unnecessary aspects, and focuses purely on expanded cargo.

Perfect for soon to be wealthy merchants. This ship is for those looking to build and expand long-term, however, it sacrifices the snub racers, and ground buggies in favor for nearly 100 extra cargo units compared to the other Constellation ships.

The Taurus is slightly shorter in length than its counterparts but comes with an additional 5th shield slot, a maximum of 6 power plants, 4 engines, and 8 maneuvering thrusters.

With upgrades and amendments, the constellation series can be stretched to hold a maximum crew of up to ten people, with higher cargo capacities and many other features on hand to truly personalize your investment. All variations come with an RSI Jump Engine to allow Jump Point travel between star systems.

P-72 Archimedes – Snub Nose Fighter

The P-72 Archimedes is a perfect sidekick to the Constellation Phoenix. Although it is the same size, this is the flashy upmarket sister to the P-52 Merlin. The Archimedes is a luxury racer, boasting two ‘size three’ thrusters and 12 ‘size two’maneuvering thrusters to allow the Archimedes to push the laws of physics to their limit.

My Impressions

I owned the Constellation Aquila as part of my gaming package for quite some time during its original design. And while think the redesign was AMAZING and well worth the wait, in the end, it felt like a duplication of other ships in my fleet.

Price vs. size vs. features, the Connies are very competitive ships.

As an exploration ship, it didn’t provide the atmosphere I wanted.

The struts all over the cockpit view annoy me.

The HUD – well, I shed a tear for current owners everytime I see it. I’m sure it will get fixed but for now, it’s simply horrendous.

If you want that Star Trek feel then I can see wanting and enjoying the Connie.

Show Transcript

Anvil Aerospace

Anvil Aerospace was founded in 2772. To this day, it remains one of Terra’s success stories. The company’s focus has been on delivering military-grade equipment to the UEE navy. Anvil’s entry into the civilian market is relatively new. While there had been internal debate over the company making this move, the UEE weighed in favorably on the idea. The government thought outfitting civilians with military-styled capabilities was a prudent cautionary measure for solidifying our general defenses. Equipped with Anvil ships, these pilots could be called upon as local militia, especially in distant frontiers.

Many of us will undoubtedly explore the star systems that comprise the Star Citizen universe. Participating in player missions and pursuing careers will necessitate some travel. I can’t imagine anyone playing Star Citizen without some intention to explore. That said, they’re exploring in the vein of sightseeing and then there’s the career or more serious pursuit of exploration.

Anvil Carrack

To perform exploration as a career choice in Star Citizen, necessitates that at a minimum you can, navigate jump points, scan areas to identify space anomalies, categorize the information and accurately document your findings. Several ships will fit the bill of performing minimal exploration, like the Aurora ES. However, for more serious pursuit there are other modules and amenities that improve the overall experience for you and your crew. This is where a ship like the Anvil Carrack comes into play. It’s designed with sustained deep space exploration in mind. And includes features that support longer duration self sustained exploration excursions.

The Anvil Carrack is a multi-crew ship that supports 5 crew stations. Like several of the other ships manufactured by Anvil Aerospace, the Carrack was originally a military exclusive. Here are the features that set the Anvil apart as a dedicated exploration vessel

Specially reinforced fuel tanks for long-duration flight

Advanced jump drive capabilities provide by the Tarsus Tunneler

Dedicated computer core for jump charting operations.

Fully outfitted medical bay

Fully functional repair facilities

Mapping-oriented sensor suite

1058 cargo units

As of this posting the Carrack is in the concept / early design phase. Backers who pledged to Star Citizen development via the Carrack are likely looking for the “Go where no man has gone before” experience. At a minimum, we know that exploration will include locating and charting new jump points, surveying and charting systems, detecting other space anomalies such as black holes, etc. Opportunities for this much is already evident in the ARK Starmap published by Cloud Imperium Games. For more information on the system discoveries that await, please see my article about this subject here on Redacted.TV.

Show Transcript

OH MY GAWD, they had me at profession…

For a long time now, I’ve had a vision of the role I wanted to play in Star Citizen. I saw myself playing out a female version of Mal from Firefly. My love for FF is undeniable. I create and sell FF inspired jewelry. On some level, this role would also mirror my career in EVE Online, which existed long before there were salvage specific ships available.

In EVE, salvage appealed to me because I liked the freedom to engage random rats and salvage their ships while exploring, salvage kills from riding shotgun during mining ops, leech cleaning around AFK miners and cleaning up after my own PVE missions. It certainly didn’t hurt that salvage was lucrative, even for freshies, which is what I was when I started. I suddenly had a license to print ISK in EVE, after a long suffering stint of poverty. As such, my vision for SC was a more RP and environmentally lush version of this. I knew there would be piracy/PVP, FPS pew-pew, industry/mining, etc., none of which excited me as a primary focus. I was content and excited about the vision I held.

To cement my vision, I purchased a Freelancer, now upgraded to Freelancer MAX before they announced the salvage specific ship, the Reclaimer. Even so, the FM would be good enough until I upgraded in the future to the Reclaimer. La la la, all was settled in my SC world.

That was until I saw a YouTube video discussing the recently unveiled Genesis Starliner and the accompanying transport career. My mouth fell open, hit the floor and remained there. I watched the video multiple times. I went to the RSI website and read the content for myself. Why oh why, did RSI include interactive content allowing you to see the travel brochures someone might read when planning a vacation and then choose a destination from an airport departures board, which tied to a short RP story of a passenger aboard the ship. It was a sucker punch to my gut that excited me for a SC experience that was very different from the one I had planned in my head.

I could pilot and manage a civilian transport business. I COULD PILOT AND MANAGE A CIVILIAN TRANSPORT BUSINESS. I could do this with friends. I could do this with guildmates! WhatchootalkinboutWillis??

SHIP HIGHLIGHTS

Mid-range luxury civilian transport ship.

Modular design seating up to 100 economy passengers, or less as a mixture of economy, business class and luxury.

Versatile interior design can also used to transport and repair race ships, military troops transport or fitted out as private luxury liner.

Is same ship-class used for the SC equivalent of Air Force One, The UEE Imperator’s transport ship.

Crew roles can be fulfilled by other players or you can hire NPC flight attendants.

WHY I’M ENTHRALLED

I prefer when there are mechanics in MMOs that allow me to take on a role that feels as though I have an on-going existence in the world beyond showing up to do quests and craft. The EQ2 crafting and housing system allowed me to establish and run a decorating service. ArcheAge for all its other faults, had a detailed crafting and economy which served the same, that I really enjoyed.

I play and enjoy task based / time management games such as the various Dash games and the survival but heavily time management slanted, Don’t Starve / Don’t Starve Together.

I’m a long time The Sims fan who is brimming with ideas of how you can really RP this ship and career, not to mention the modularity of the ship itself, which will lend to all sorts of personalized and flavorful transport services.

Get tired of transporting civilians, carry race ships. Get tired of trucking race ships, it can be outfitted for military operations for your corporation and allies. Over that, setup for search and rescue. Lots of options to choose from to change up your game play or help your friends and corp.

It’s a completely new and unique gaming experience/profession!

I’m like a cat. When I enjoy an activity in game, I can do it routinely without becoming board. Just ask my ArcheAge guildmates about me a running trade packs. LOL Who I would also transport goods for using my farm wagon, for the modest price of one free trade pack for me to turn in too and some boosted fuel.

I shouldn’t have but I COULD NOT HELP MYSELF. I pledged / purchased the Genesis Starliner. As I said, they had me at profession.

Show Transcript

Musashi Industrial & Starlight Concern

Musashi Industrial & Starlight Concern, commonly called MISC, is based on Saisei in Centauri. As a manufacturer, they’re known for the ergonomics of their factories, where spacecraft are robotically assembled with precision. Centauri was one of the first systems settled during Humanity’s expansion among the stars. It was discovered in 2365 by a dedicated survey ship. Centauri III was quickly offered up at a premium to private concerns. The result was Saisei, one of the most beautiful and well-constructed Human worlds in the UEE.

The majority of MISC’s business comes from the production of their heavy industrial division. One of MISC’s claims to fame is their technology partnership with the Xi’an, which came about due to the popularity of MISC ships within their culture. That popularity led to MISC becoming the only Human spacecraft corporation to sign a lend-lease agreement with the Xi’an. The details of which, are a closely guarded secret.

MISC Hull A

The Hull A is the smallest and least expensive in the Hull series. It’s ideal for someone who is just starting out in freight hauling and is looking for a dedicated cargo vessel. In size, it’s most similar to the Aurora, Mustang or Reliant Kore but is less versatile. The aforementioned ships are configured with more firepower, allowing them to also be used in combat. This is not the case for the Hull A.

The Hull A is 22 meters in length. Has a mass of roughly fourteen thousand kilograms. Supports 1 crew station. And holds 48 cargo units. In addition to being a dedicated hauler, the Hull A is often used as a station-to-orbit ferry. The size and limited capabilities is one of the reasons the Hull A didn’t meet my needs even as someone who will only casual participate in cargo hauling. But I think it’s a good starter option for a dedicated hauler.

MISC Hull B

Next in the Hull series is the Hull B. It’s a larger and more rugged option than the Hull A. It can be compared to the Freelancer base model but here again, it’s less flexible in the non-cargo hauling features, lacking a long range scanner and is only equipped with one crew station. However, the lack of versatility is compensated for by providing additional storage capacity. Even the Freelancer MAX’s storage capabilities don’t match the Hull B.

The Hull be is 49 meters in length and weighs roughly sixty-seven thousand kilograms. It supports 1 crew station and can transport 384 cargo units. As you can see, that’s a significant jump in storage units from the Hull A’s 48.

The Hull B is the variant I purchased. For smaller, on the go hauling, I have a Reliant Kore. And although I also own the Freelancer Mercantile, I’m going to be using that for multi-crew missions and tour bus for family and friends. For opportunistic hauling with a bit of intent, the Hull B hit the right chord for me.

MISC Hull C

The Hull C. This is where the Hull series makes a significant leap in cargo transport size. The Hull C is one of the more common ships seen transporting cargo around the galaxy. It’s the variant most produced from the Hull series and is considered the most versatile.

The Hull C is intended to hit the ‘sweet spot’ between the smaller single-person transports and the massive super-freighters that make up the rest of the line. It offers modularity while maintaining a modicum of maneuverability.

Considering the Hull series sequentially, the Hull C is the first in the series to employ the spindle modularity cargo support mechanic. This unique design allows the ship to shrink and grow to match your cargo hauling needs.

The ship itself is 105 meters in length and weighs just under 290,00 kilograms. It supports 3 crew stations and 4608 cargo units. That’s more than 10 times what Hull B can haul.

MISC Hull D

Now we enter the realm of large operation super-freighters. It’s the Hull D, a massive ship built around a rugged frame. The Hull D is affordable enough to be operated by mid-sized organizations and companies. It’s often used as a flagship for mercantile operations. However, their bulk means that they should be operated with escort fighters while not in safe space. While it is equipped with Size 2 and 3 gimbal mounts as weapons support, it’s size would make it an easy target regardless. The UEE military uses modified Hull D as part of their supply chain, arming and refueling the soldiers on the front line.

The Hull D cab is 206 meters and weighs over 1 million kilograms. It supports 5 crew stations and 20,736 cargo units. This is for serious…dedicated…cargo transport.

MISC Hull E

Last in the series is the behemoth, Hull E. It’s the largest specialized freighter available on the market. The Hull E is generally owned by major corporations and operated with a high degree of planning. To make your excursions profitable, you want to do careful logistics planning that optimizes your route for pickup and delivery. And ensure you have payloads big enough and profitable enough to warrant undocking a Hull E.

It’s essential to understand that the lack of maneuverability inherent in such a large ship means that it is a target for pirates and raiders. Anyone planning to operate one should be careful about equipping turrets and providing reliable escort. The Hull E isn’t for the fly by night cargo operator. It’s intended for large scale dedicated transport operations.